a little peek into the world of paper artistry

paper & tokyo – ito-ya, spiral + more

If you only have time to visit one paper shop in Tokyo, make it Ito-ya in Ginza. It’s nine levels of stationery goodness and most definitely the mecca for paper lovers all around the world, so make the pilgrimage people!

Ito-ya have several stores around Tokyo but their Ginza store is the best and it offers the largest selection of stationery you’ll have ever seen before. It’s mind blowing and I’ll confess, that my recent visit there lasted almost 7 hours! Truly, I’m not joking, not at all :) I think the staff thought I was crazy. You might think 7 hours in one shop is crazy too, but this place is huge and there are thousands of paper products to be discovered and admired.

I wasn’t able to take photos inside so I’ve taken pictures of the items I bought instead. Ito-ya’s selection of papers is amazing and surprisingly affordable too.

Another must-visit shop in Tokyo is Spiral Market in Aoyama. It has a great selection of cards and designer paper products and there is always loads happening on all floors of the Spiral building. Inside there is a cafe, record shop, garden, a very big spiral staircase, events hall, lounge, exhibition space and more. On the day I visited there was a student exhibition showcasing some amazing architectural models. Take a look below, they’re incredible.

And here are some of the paper goods I bought from the shop.

And if you’re wondering where this cute little blackboard signage came from, I shot it inside Tokyu Hands. Yep another must-visit shop in Tokyo. Tokyu Hands sells pretty much everything, but their range of craft supplies, stationery and model making is extra special and superb! It’s the ultimate in DIY and a great place to go to find quirky little gadgets to bring back home as gifts. The sushi erasers and sticker sets I brought back, were definitely a hit with my friends.

There are many shops and department stores in Tokyo that sell a great range of paper goods. Below are three more you should definitely visit, if you have the time.

Loft – A cool department store in Shibuya with a good selection of stationery, especially cards.Parco – This one is also in Shibuya. Just go downstairs to BF1 where you will find a great selection of craft books, stationery and a mini Claska Gallery shop & “DO”.Haibara – A really lovely selection of Japanese papers and paper goods.